ARDC Disciplinary Defense

Effective Representation in Discipline Investigations and Proceedings

Each year, thousands of Illinois lawyers find themselves on the wrong side of a disciplinary inquiry, facing the professional obligation of having to submit a written response to what is often an unfocused and angry account of a client’s grievances or a disingenuously incomplete account of a litigation dispute. The fact is that the odds against the inquiry ripening into formal disciplinary charges are actually very high. But there are a number of traps which responding lawyers fall into which unnecessarily prolong the process or even create disciplinary liability that did not otherwise exist. There are also the unfortunate matters that result in formal disciplinary charges, where lawyers are at risk of losing their livelihood.

When people other than lawyers have a legal problem, they call a lawyer, but many lawyers avoid that option when facing problems of their own. Being represented by a good lawyer on something important to you is one of life’s true gifts. It’s what you do for your clients every day: make an informed, objective assessment of the risks, investigate the facts, design a strategy, and handle the talking and the writing necessary to make the case. As much as your clients, you deserve to have someone do that for you.

Robinson Law Group offers astute and effective representation in discipline investigations and prosecutions. We know the system from the inside. Having spent 15 years as Administrator of the ARDC, Mary Robinson has returned to her defense lawyer roots and genuinely appreciates the experience of collaborating with and fighting for clients. Sari Montgomery and Jim Doppke are both former ARDC prosecutors of substantial tenure and who share those sentiments. We will give you a realistic assessment of your actual exposure, and if you so choose, we can be the advocate you deserve.

We do not miss the fact that our clients experience ranges of personal anguish while under the scrutiny of disciplinary authorities. We keep that concern front and center throughout our representation, and we do what we can to lessen the pain.